Black Bean Pesto
Submitted by lgreene
Smoky, spicy black bean pesto made with ham hock, jalapeños, garlic, and cilantro stems. A thick, spreadable paste for tacos, chips, or as a bold side dish. Makes 3 cups.
YIELD
1 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
2 hrsNot your Italian nonna’s pesto. This one trades the basil and pine nuts for black beans, jalapeños, and a smoky ham hock.
Dried black beans simmer for an hour and a half with a bay leaf, ham hock, garlic, cilantro stems, and seeded jalapeños until everything is tender and deeply flavored. Then it all gets blitzed in the food processor with just enough cooking liquid to make a thick, scoopable paste.
The result is smoky, spicy, and earthy all at once.
Spread it on tostadas, use it as a dip with chips, or warm it through and serve it as a side with a crown of sour cream and fresh cilantro.
Chef Tips
- Use the cilantro stems, not the leaves. The stems pack more concentrated flavor and hold up during the long simmer. Save the leaves for garnish.
- Add the cooking liquid slowly when processing. You want a thick paste, not a soup. Start with half a cup and work up.
- It keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge and actually tastes better the next day once the flavors have had time to settle.
Ingredients
Directions
Rinse and drain the beans thoroughly. Place them in a large saucepan or soup kettle, and add all the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1½ hours.
Remove and discard the ham hock and bay leaf. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bean mixture, in batches, to the bowl of a food processor.
Process, adding cooking liquid as necessary to form a smooth, thick paste. You will use a total of about 1 cup liquid.
- Transfer the pesto to a bowl and stir in the salt and pepper, if needed.
Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
This will keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
Makes 3 cups.
These beans make a hot and spicy spread. Black Bean Pesto can also be heated through and served as a side dish, garnished with sour cream and cilantro.
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